Mining machine for planing coal from an undercut face



Oct. 23, 1956 B. MILLER 2,767,969

MINING MACHINE FOR PLANING COAL FROM AN UNDERCUT FACE Filed May 19, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 v [NI/EH10)? F. B. MILLER Oct. 23, 1956 MINING MACHINE FOR PLANING COAL FROM AN UNDERCUT FACE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1954 & U

NH HZPL RCUT FACE F. B. MILLER Oct. 23, 1 956 MINING MACHINE FOR PLANING COAL FROM AN UNDE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 19, 1954" IN VE/VTOR' United States Patent MINING MACHINE FOR PLANING COAL FROM AN UNDERCUT FACE Frederick B. Miller, Chicago, 11].; Mary W. Miller, also known as Mary Warthen, exeeutrix of said Frederick B. Miller, deceased Application May 19, 1954, Serial No. 430,894 4 Claims. (Cl. 262-9) This invention relates to a machine for planing coal from an undercut face and has reference more particularly to a coal mining machine employing a reciprocating coal dislodging member of the type as disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,721,066 granted October 18, 1955.

To accomplish the operation of planing coal from an undercut face by means of a reciprocating tool, it is obvious that less pressure is required to dislodge the coal when the coal is provided with a bottom open side; it is also obvious the bottom open side may terminate short of the end of the full stroke of the tool and that additional pressure must be imposed to drive the tool its full stroke into the material to be mined.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool adapted to penetrate and dislodge that portion of coal not provided with a bottom open side short of the end of the full stroke of the tool.

Another object is to provide a tool having a plurality of bars with a projection at the end of each bar having a flat narrow face the width of each bar and square with the top side of each bar and which is adapted to pulverize the coal at the forward end of each projection and cause the pulverized coal to exert a downward force against the coal in the path of the bars to effect dislodging of the coal in the path of the bars whereby cores are formed between the bars.

A further object is to provide a tool having a plurality of vertical wedges located between a plurality of bars, with a projection at the forward end of each bar adapted to dislodge the coal in path of the bars whereby cores are formed between the bars, and wherein the vertical wedges intermediate the bars are adapted to split the cores thus formed between the bars.

A still further object resides in a tool having a plurality of bars formed to provide a projection at the end of each bar and which are adapted to pulverize the coal at the forward end of each projection in a manner to cause the pulverized coal to exert a downward force whereby the coal below the forward edge of each projection is caused to spall, the coal above the pulverized material providing a backing for the reactive forces exerted in spelling the coal and which in turn prevents the pressing of the bars upwardly against the top of the coal face, thus eliminating any drag on the tool and requiring less force to move the same forwardly to the end of its stroke.

These and other objects will be apparent after referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine taken on line 'iI-II of Figure 1 showing in detail the tool positioned for planing the coal from an undercut face and in part section showing an anchor bar pressed against the floor of the mine;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine taken on line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse section of the conveyor taken on line IV-IV of Figure 1 showing the conveyor in relation to the cutter chains;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail, in part elevation and in part section on line VV of Figure 1 showing details of the hydraulic jack in conjunction with the anchor bar in retracted position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail of the quadrant gears taken in elevation on line VIVI of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail of the quadrant gears in plan taken on line VII--VII of Figure 6;

Figures 8, 9, and 10 are enlarged fragmentary details of a bar on line VIIIVIII of Figure 1 showing three progressive stages of the bar in pulverizing coal and in spalling coal at the forward under side of the bar;

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the tool showing vertical wedges intermediate the bars for splitting the cores formed between the bars.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional View on line XII- XII of Figure 11.

Reference is now made to the details of the machine of my invention illustrated in the drawings. The main frame 10 is pivotally mounted on a transverse cross member 11, which is formed integral with a pair of longitudinal endless-tread supporting side frames 12, 12, the side frames being provided with a front end idler sprocket or roller 13, a rear drive sprocket 14, fixed to a drive shaft 15 (source of power not shown), and an intermediate shoe 16 for endless treads 17, 17 of well known construction. A second cross member 18 is formed integral with the pair of side frames 12, 12. A pair of cylinders 19, 19 is pivotally mounted on the second cross member 18. A piston 20 is reciprocally mounted in each of the cylinders 19, 19, the piston 20 being fixed to a piston rod 21 pivotally connected to the main frame 10. Hydraulic pressure to the cylinders 19, 19 for tilting the main frame 16 may be supplied as usual from a pump, under manual control of suitable valves, not shown.

Fixed to the forward end of the main frame 10 is a pair of cutting chain guides 22, 22. In each cutting chain guide 22, 22 is a cutter chain 23 of usual construction driven by a sprocket 24 fixed to a shaft 25. The drive shaft 25 is 'journaled in a housing 26 secured to each of the cutter chain guides (source of power not shown). Shoes 27, 27, fixed to top and bottom sides of the forward end of each cutter chain guide 22, 22, are adapted to bear against the top and bottom sides of the kerf to be described.

A single endless conveyor belt 28 is driven by a pulley 29, fixed to a drive shaft 30, the drive shaft 36 being journaled in the rear end of the main frame 19, source of power not shown. The conveyor belt 23 is trained over a pulley 31 journaled on a shaft 32 fixed in the forward end of the main frame 19, and in the path of the cutter chain 23, 23, the latter being adapted to rake and crowd the cuttings on the conveyor belt 28.

A pair of hydraulic jacks, each of which has a cylinder 33, extend through the cutter chain guides 22, 22, and said jacks are repectively fixed to said guides. A piston 34 reciprocally mounted in each of the cylinders 33, 33 is provided with a piston rod 35. A piston rod head 36 fixed to each of the piston rods 35, 35 is slidably guided in the end of the cylinders 33, 33 opposite the piston 34, 34. An anchor bar 38 is pivotally mounted in each of the slots 37, 37 on a pin 39. The backward end of each anchor bar 38, 33 is formed to fit the piston rod heads 36, 36 and the forward portion of each of the anchor bars is formed to engage and press against the floor of the mine. The cylinders 33, 33 are provided with openings 40, 40 to receive pipes (not shown). Hydraulic pressure to the cylinders '33, 33 for imparting movement to the anchor bars 38, 38 may be supplied as from a pump under manual control of suitable valves (not shown). For a more parmachine and its mode of operations reference is made to my prior Patent No. 2,721,066 previously referred to.

Mounted on the main frame is a mechanism for breaking down the coal. This mechanism consists of a pair of spaced upright supporting brackets or bearings 41 and 42 and a pair of horizontal shafts 43 and 44 journaled therein. A pair of carriage guide members 45 and 46 is pivotally mounted at their rear ends on shaft 43. Quadrant gear 47, keyed to shaft 44, is meshed with quadrant gear 48, the quadrant gear 48 being integral with the guide members 45 and 46 so that rotation of shaft 44, by source of power not shown, will cause a swinging movement to the carriage guide members about the shaft 43. Guide members 45 and 46 are provided with bearing portions 49 and 50, respectively on which the ram bars 51 and 52, forming the sides of the carriage, are slidably mounted. The ram bars 51 and 52 are tied together to complete the carriage by a carriage base plate 53. The ram bars 51 and 52 are adapted to reciprocate on the bearing portions 49 and and are provided with rack portions 54 meshed with rack pinions 55 keyed to the shaft 43, the shaft 43 being power driven in reversible directions by a source of power not shown. v Secured to the carriage base plate 53 is a tool for dislodging the coal to be mined comprising a web plate 56, a plurality of bars 57 extending from the web plate and vertical wedges extending from the web plate intermediate the bars. The forward end of each bar 57 is provided with a projection 58 which has a flat narrow face 59 the width of each bar and square with the top side of each bar. The narrow face 59 of each bar 57 is positioned in advance of each vertical wedge 60. At the forward end of each projection 58 is a pocket of pulverized coal 61. Below each pocket of pulverized coal 61 spalled coal 62 is shown.

In the operation of planing coal from an undercut face, the undercutting means positioned at the forward end of the main frame is adapted to be moved forwardly to provide an undercut or kerf in the coal to be mined. The carriage mounted for vertical swinging movement relative to the main frame is provided with the tool generally indicated by 56 and which is adapted to be moved forwardly by the carriage, forcing the projections 58 of the tool against the coal which pulverizes the coal at the forward end of the projections and causes the pulverized coal to flow downwardly under pressure exerted by the carriage. The pulverized coal is so engrossed within the coal at the forward end of the projections that the downward force of the pulverized coal causes the coal under the forward end of the projections 58 to spall and thereby form cores between the bars 57, whereas the coal above the pulverized coal provides backing for the reactive force exerted by the pulverized coal in spalling the coal under the forward end of the projections and thereby preventing reactive forces being exerted against the bars and, in turn, against the coal at the top side of the bars whereby the drag of the bars against the solid coal above the bars is eliminated resulting in less force to move the tool forwardly to the end of its stroke. The vertical wedges 60 intermediate the bars 57 are adapted to split the cores formed between the bars providing a path for that portion of the tool other than the bars and the vertical wedges which also results in less force to move the tool forwardly to the end of its stroke. Cuttings from the kerf are raked backwardly and crowded onto the conveyor belt 28 by the cutter chains. On completion of the cutting of the kerf to a predetermined depth, fluid is directed into the cylinders 33, 33 for impartingmovement to the pistons 34, 34 and thereby cause the forward end of the anchor bars 38, 38 to be pressed against the mine floor previously cut by the cutter chains 23, 23.

As a result of the pressure exerted against the floor of the mine by the anchor bars 38, 38 as described, the forward end of the cutter guides 22, 22 is caused to bear against the top side of the kerf with an equal and opposite force. For this reason the cutter guides are provided with the shoes 27, 27 at their forward end and said shoes also reinforce the cutter guides during their cutting action in cutting a kerf. Thus the combined action of the anchor bars in pressing downwardly against the mine floor and that of the shoes on the forward end of the cutter guides in pressing upwardly against the top surface of the kerf locks the machine in a coal mining position and the reactive forces caused by the thrusts of the tool are effectively resisted.

Upon completion of the breaking down of the successive portions of coal to a predetermined height above the kerf the fluid in cylinders 33, 33 is released. The pressure in the cylinders 33, 33 being released, pressure on the anchor bars is removed and the anchor bars are reset in retracted position. With the anchor bars in retracted position, the machine is free to be moved forwardly to provide a successive kerf. When the machine is being moved forwardly for cutting the successive kerf, the broken down coal resting on the cutter chain guides 22, 22 is moved up inclined portion 63 of main frame 10 and onto conveyor belt 28 by reason of the cutter chain guides entering the successive kerf. The flared ribs 64, 64, forming part of main frame 10, are adapted to guide the flow of coal into the path of the conveyor belt 28 which extends longitudinally of main frame 10.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings as various forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a mining machine having a main frame, a carriage mounted for vertical swinging movement relative to said main frame, undercutting means positioned at the forward end of said main frame and adapted to be moved forwardly to provide a kerf in the coal to be mined, a dislodging member mounted on said carriage, said dislodging member comprising a plate having a plurality of bars and a plurality of wedges both extending forwardly from said plate with the wedges being located between the bars, each of said bars having a forward face substantially normal to the top side of the bar and the said forward faces of the bars being located forwardly of the wedges, means for reciprocating said carriage whereby to engage the forward face of each of said bars with the material above the kerf, causing the material thus engaged by the forward face of each bar to pulverize and flow downwardly under the pressure exerted by the carriage, the downward force of the pulverized material acting in a manner to dislodge the material below the forward edge of the bars whereas the coal above the pulverized material provides a backing for the reactive forces exerted in causing the downward flow of the pulverized material, whereby less drag is caused by said bars in dislodging the material under the forward edge of the bars and which results in less force being required to move the carriage forwardly to the end of its stroke, the said wedges being adapted to engage and disintegrate the cores formed between the said bars thereby providing an unobstructed path for the dislodging member other than the bars and the wedges and which additionally results in less force being required to move the carriage forwardly to the end of its stroke.

2. In a mining machine having a main frame, a carriage mounted for vertical swinging movement relative to said frame, undercutting means positioned at the forward end of said main frame and adapted to be moved forwardly to provide a kerf in the coal to be mined, a dislodging member mounted on said carriage, said dislodging member comprisinga plate having a plurality of bars and a plurality of vertical wedges both extending forwardly from the plate with the wedges being located between the bars and rearwardly thereof, each of said bars having a forward face and having its top side in the same plane as that of the plate, means for feciprocating the carriage whereby to effect engagement of the forward face of each of said bars with the material above the kerf causing the material engaged by said forward face of each bar to pulverize and flow downwardly under the pressure exerted by the carriage, the downward force of the pulverized material causing the material below the forward edge of said bars to spall thereby forming cores between the bars, and said vertical wedges being adapted to engage and split said cores due to forward movement of the dislodging member whereby said cores are thus removed.

3. In a mining machine having a main frame, nndercutting means positioned at the forward end of said main frame and being adapted to provide a kerf in the material to be mined, a carriage mounted for vertical swinging movement relative to said frame, a tool fixed to said carriage, said tool comprising a web plate, a plurality of bars extending from said web plate, each of said bars being provided with a projection at the forward terminal end thereof with the top side of each projection being disposed in the same plane as the top side of its bar, each projection being provided with a forward face disposed approximately at right angles to the top side of its projection, means for reciprocating said carriage to engage the face of each of said projections with the material to be mined 25 above said kerf causing the material thus engaged to pu1- verize and exert a downward pressure, the said downward pressure on the material below the forward edge of each projection causing the material to be mined to spall, the material above the pulverized material providing a backing for the reactive forces exerted in spalling the material so that pressure upwardly against said projections is substantially eliminated to thereby reduce the drag on the bars so that less force is required in driving the tool into the material to be mined.

4. In a mining machine, as defined by claim 3, wherein the tool additionally includes a plurality of vertical wedges extending forwardly from the web plate between the bars and terminating rearwardly of the forward face of said bars, wherein the said bars in pulverizing and in spalling the material when they are moved forwardly into the material to be mined produce cores between the bars, and wherein said vertical wedges are adapted to engage and split said cores as a result of forward movement of the tool so that said cores are thus removed simultaneously with the pulverized and spalled material and an unobstructed path is provided for the web plate of said tool.

Konnerth Jan. 19, 1943 Miller Feb. 6, 1945 

